St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado delivered a thrilling moment on Saturday, crushing a walk-off home run to beat the rival Milwaukee Brewers. Those who stayed at Busch Stadium erupted in celebration, and with good reason. After a challenging 2024 season, Arenado has shown significant improvement in 2025. Saturday’s game-winning homer could mark a turning point not only for Arenado individually but for the Cardinals as a whole.
The Cardinals currently seem to be lacking clear direction. During the offseason, John Mozeliak vowed to move much of the team’s veteran core, with Arenado being a notable exception. Mozeliak reportedly attempted to trade Arenado several times, even reaching an agreement with the Houston Astros, but Arenado used his no-trade clause to block the move. With Chaim Bloom soon taking over baseball operations, Arenado’s future with the franchise remains uncertain. However, his focus for now is solely on bouncing back from last season and helping the team win.
“I still feel like I have a lot left to give to this game,” Arenado said after the victory. “Eventually, my time playing will end, but I believe I can still accomplish great things. That’s what I’m chasing. When the day comes that I don’t think I can anymore, that’ll probably be it for me. But right now, I’m still working to fix a few things and find that comfort again.”
Nolan Arenado is chasing the player he once was with the St. Louis Cardinals
In some ways, Nolan Arenado is chasing the player he used to be. He may never fully recapture the form he showed during his prime years with the Rockies or early in his Cardinals career. Still, that doesn’t diminish his value — whether that’s to St. Louis or another team as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Following another Cardinals win, manager Oli Marmol praised Arenado’s continued excellence.
“He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason and one of the best on both sides of the ball,” Marmol told reporters. “He’s going to keep proving how determined he is to excel both offensively and defensively.”
Even with the hefty contract, Arenado remains a Hall of Fame-caliber player. While the Cardinals might eventually balk at paying out the rest of his deal, another team could very well see his value. Either way, his performance so far this season shows he still has a lot to offer.
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